Then I Did
by Sen-chan21
Summary: It’s three years after the war. Ron gets an amazing job offer that means lots of travel and moving around, but...what about Hermione? Can he bear to leave her? Please R&R! Final chapter posted! PRE DEATHLY HALLOWS
1. Prologue: The Wedding

**Summary:**

**It's three years after the war. Ron gets an amazing job offer that means lots of travel and moving around, but…what about Hermione? Please R&R!**

Prologue: The Wedding

Ron stood behind Harry as Hermione, dressed in a beautiful light blue dress, much like her Yule Ball robes from so long ago, walked down the aisle and stepped to the side. Next came Bill and Fleur's adorable little girl, Evangeline, a clear showing of Fleur's taste for fancy names. She had been blessed with most of her mother's beauty, but had bright red hair nonetheless. She walked gracefully, dropping flower petals on her way.

And then, there she was. Ron smiled upon his little sister with pride and affection as she stood holding on to her father's arm at the end of the aisle. She grinned nervously at Ron before turning her attention to Harry.

He looked back at her in awe. She looked incredible, almost angelic, in her white silk dress, with the sheer lace sleeves extending to her wrist, the long train in the back, and the veil draping from a small diamond tiara set in her dark auburn hair.

As Ron watched his sister walk down the aisle and saw his best friend waiting to start his life with her, he thought about how much their love had gone through to get there…

The war had lasted another year and a half after Dumbledore's death. Both sides had suffered losses. The order had mourned the deaths of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Viktor Krum, who had both fought valiantly for their side. Fred had been sent to St. Mungo's for serious injuries, but he had fully recovered. Today, he sat smiling in the front row next to Angelina, who was cradling their newborn baby in her arms.

At the end of a long, bloody battle, Snape, Bellatrix, and Lucius Malfoy, as well as many others, had been destroyed. Those remaining fled. Finally, it was down to just Harry and Voldemort. No one knew exactly what happed, for Harry hadn't wanted to talk about it, but somehow, Harry had come out victorious.

Over the next three years, Harry and Ron completed their Auror training, Ginny had become a healer at St. Mungo's, and Hermione had recently accepted a position teaching Transfiguration at the newly reopened Hogwarts. She and Ron had spent this entire time together, after having finally realized their feelings for each other.

Arthur Weasely let go of his daughter's arm and Harry took her hand. Remus Lupin, being a Ministry official, was there to perform the ceremony. He smiled affectionately at the young couple who had been through so much so early in life.

"It took a long time to get to this point, but we're finally here," he said after Harry and Ginny exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony.

"Well," said Ron at the reception, "congratulations. You'd better take good care of her. After all," he said with a wink, "she _is_ my favorite sister."

Harry laughed. "Don't worry. I will."

Ron and Hermione left to let the other guests give their well wishes to the happy couple. They sat down at a table and Hermione said, "I'm really excited to start teaching. You know McGonagall made me head of Gryffindor."

"Really? Hermione that's great!" exclaimed Ron. "Listen," he continued in a more solemn tone, "I got offered this job. I'd be finding and arresting the remaining Death Eaters. They're pretty scattered, so it would mean almost constant travel. I wouldn't have any really permanent address. It's an amazing opportunity, but…"

"Ron, I understand completely," Hermione said. "This is the kind of shot you've been waiting for ever since you finished training. You can't pass this up."

"So…you think I should take it?"

"You have to. I'll miss you, but this kind of chance could lead to so many wonderful options later."

At that time, the bride and groom got up for their first dance as husband and wife. Harry and Ginny looked so in love. They looked into each other's eyes, smiling as if they were the only two people in the world.

After watching them for a few moments, some other couples got up to join them. Ron held out his hand to Hermione. She took it, and they walked out onto the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest, aware that this could be their last dance for a long while.

**A/N: I know the ending is kind of sad, but it will get better and will focus more on Ron and Hermione later. I promise! Please review and please keep reading. I'll update as soon as possible!**


	2. Chapter 1: Two Years Later

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Here's the next chapter. This will probably be my fastest update because I had most of this written when I posted the prologue, but I'll try to update as quickly as possible after this. Please review and let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

Two Years Later…

Ron looked out the window with his chin in his hands and his elbow resting on the windowsill. The door opened, and Ginny walked in, holding little Sirius on her hip.

"Hey," she said, sitting down next to him.

"Hey Gin," he answered.

"Mum's really glad you're here," she said. "We all are."

"I know. So am I," he said, looking around his old room at the burrow with a reminiscent air. They heard laughter and little running footsteps downstairs.

"This place can't help being full of kids can it?" he asked.

"No, I suppose not," Ginny laughed. "Of course, if Mum had her way we'd all live here. As it is, she just takes any opportunity to get us over."

"And how old is this one now?" Ron asked, taking Sirius and bouncing him on his knee while the baby giggled in delight.

"Almost seven months," Ginny answered fondly. "I just hope he has all the heart and courage without the mischief of his namesake, but with Weasley _and_ Potter blood in him, I can only imagine!"

"Especially if Fred and George have anything to do with him," he said with a laugh.

"Yes, well, I should be getting back downstairs," she lifted her son and went to the door. "You come down soon, ok?"

"I will."

Ginny left and Ron resumed looking outside. That's when he noticed Pigwidgeon fly towards the window with an envelope in his beak. Finally! Pig landed on the sill and deposited the letter in his lap. Ron gave him a treat and then stared at the Hogwarts seal on the letter for a moment before slowly opening it.

_Dear Mr. Weasley,_

_Of course we would be honored to have you visit Hogwarts. You are a large part of the reason we were able to reopen the school and a hero to all of us. Many of your former teachers, myself included, are looking forward to seeing you. Give my best wishes to Mr. Potter and the rest of your family. We hope to see you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall _

_Headmistress_

He smiled. He had written to McGonagall to ask if he could pay a visit to the school (and Hermione). Now that he had his reply, he could leave tomorrow. He folded the letter on his way down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he was immediately clapped on the shoulders by both Fred and George.

"Oho!"

"He's got the letter!"

"So…what does it say?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon," Ron finally said. He took a seat on the sofa next to Harry and Ginny.

"I assume this trip as to do with visiting a certain Transfiguration professor?" asked George, sitting down next to Alicia and putting an arm around his wife. Ron did not answer but turned a deep red, at which point Harry began to chuckle.

"Oh now boys, stop pestering your brother!" called Mrs. Weasely from the kitchen, where she was making dinner.

Harry got up and opened a closet door. "Hey Ron, fancy a quick ride before dinner?" He tossed Ron's Cleansweep to him while reaching for his own Firebolt.

"Sure," Ron answered, following Harry outside.

Once they were in the air, Harry asked, "Have you talked to Hermione at all since you left?"

"At first yeah," he answered, "but then when some of my leads started picking up, and she got busy with grading and planning out lessons and whatnot…it just kind of faded. How is she lately?"

"She seems good," Harry said. "She came back when Sirius was born, and for George and Alicia's wedding. We saw her for a few weeks during the summer, but she has to stay at the school during Christmas for the students that choose to." Harry paused. "Teaching really seems to suit her. She looked really happy, but it did seem like something wasn't quite right."

Ron wasn't sure what to say to that, but was saved the trouble by Angelina coming to the back door to call them in for dinner. They dove down and landed, Ron still thinking about what Harry had said.

**A/N: Ok, so there's Chapter One! What do you think? The next chapter will see Ron and Hermione' s reunion, so keep reading!**


	3. Chapter 2: Reunions

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait. Things have been a little hectic lately. Between my brother's baseball games, the course my mom is taking over the summer, and my summer reading, it's been tough to find time to write. And to top it off, vacation bible school started this morning and tomorrow is my birthday (by the way, reviews would make **_**great **_**presents!) Anyway, this chapter is a little longer, so I hope you like it! **

Reunions

Ron stood by the fireplace saying goodbye to everyone. Mrs.Weasley had him in a particularly tight embrace.

"Oh Ron!" she wailed, "You were gone for so long, and now to have you home for only a few days before you leave again!"

"But Mum," protested Ron, "this is just a visit. I'll be back sooner this time. See, I've only got one bag." He held it up to show her. When his mother finally released him, Harry took him aside.

"Ron, Hermione does know you're coming right?" he asked.

"Last night after dinner, I wrote to McGonagall to confirm that I'd be there today, and I wrote to Hermione to let her know. She sent a reply that just said, 'see you tomorrow' it was kind of distant."

"Maybe she was just in a hurry," said Harry reassuringly.

"Yeah, maybe," said Ron, but he didn't sound entirely convinced. After one more hug from his mother, Ron stepped into the fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, and said clearly, "Hogwarts!"

He landed in the fireplace in what he recognized as Dumbledore's office, though he knew it must now belong to McGonagall. Upon seeing him, she stood up from her desk. "Ah, Mr. Weasley, it's good to see you."

"You too, Professor," said Ron, nodding to her.

"Well, I-" she started to speak but was cut off by a voice coming from the portrait behind her. "Ronald!" exclaimed Dumbledore, "How wonderful to see you again! How have you been lately?"

"I've been great Professor, and you?"

"Oh wonderful, wonderful," he answered with a wave of his hand, "I have quite a few portraits painted so I can go lots of other places when I want to. Now, I understand Harry and your sister had a baby not long ago?"

"Yes, he's about seven months old now. They named him Sirius." said Ron.

"Ah," Dumbledore said, "a good choice of name." Before Ron could respond, Professor McGonagall interrupted. "Albus!" she said she said sternly.

"My apologies Minerva," said Dumbledore, bowing slightly and gesturing toward Ron.

"As I was saying," she continued, "you will be staying in the extra bedroom in Professor Granger's chambers. I can have your bag sent there now, and you can go visit some of your teachers. All the classrooms are the same."

"Thank you Professor," he said, setting his bag on the floor and exiting her office.

As he walked down the corridor, he thought about what she had said. _Professor Granger's chambers. _He was staying with Hermione! These thoughts were still whirling around in his head when he came to a stop before the Charms classroom. He knocked slightly on the open door to announce his presence as he entered. Everyone looked up from what they were doing.

Professor Flitwick gave a big smile. He motioned for Ron to come closer and said, "Class, I would like to introduce to you Mr. Ron Weasley. I'm sure you all know who he is." The class nodded and began murmuring to each other, seemingly in awe of him. It was strange for Ron. Harry had always been the famous one, but since the war and the work he had been doing over the past few years, he had begun to be recognized as well, but he had never quite gotten used to it.

From the look of them, Ron deduced that this was a class of first years. Professor Flitwick instructed them to return to practicing, and he and Ron talked for a few minutes about his work, how his family was doing, and so on. As he turned to leave, Ron noticed a girl with a bossy tone correcting the rather grumpy-looking boy beside her. He laughed as he heard Hermione's voice in his head, "You're saying it wrong! It's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa."

"And just what do you find so bloody funny?" asked the boy angrily.

"Nothing kid," Ron answered as he left the room, still smiling.

He strolled across the grounds on his way to the greenhouses. He stopped when he heard a voice shout, "Ron!" Turning, he saw Hagrid hurrying up the hill toward him. Ron barely had time to react before he was trapped in a tight hug.

"Hi Hagrid," he said while struggling for breath. When Hagrid let go of him, Ron asked, "So, are you still teaching Care of Magical Creatures?"

"Yep," said Hagrid answered, "but I don' have a class righ' now, and I heard yeh were here so I decided ter come find yeh."

"I was just on my way down to the greenhouses, but I'll see you later," Ron said.

"All righ' then. I'll jus' be gettin' back to Fang. You tell Harry and Ginny ter come down with that baby soon!"

When Ron finished his visit with Professor Sprout, he noticed the students preparing to move on to their next lesson. Rather than get caught in the commotion, he decided to walk down to the Quidditch Pitch. He strolled slowly across it, remembering old times; the years spent cheering for Harry, Fred, and George, joining the team in fifth year, winning the Quidditch cup, and the sense of pride he felt after beating out McLaggen in sixth year. All these memories came flooding back to him.

He leaned against a goalpost, closed his eyes, and drew a deep breath. _It's good to be back. _He knew that Hogwarts had always been home to Harry. The Burrow was his home- it always would be, but something about being back at Hogwarts just felt…right. He opened his eyes and began to make his way back up to the castle.

He skipped seeing Trelawney and Binns and didn't bother with Defense since he didn't know the teacher. He stopped in with Firenze and Slughorn, though he later regretted the latter, as he had been forced to sit uncomfortably through a long speech about how he hadn't been the best student in his day, but something about him made Slughorn know that Ron was destined for greatness, and now look at him! Ron knew that Slughorn had never thought anything of the sort until now, and he was relieved to finally escape him.

There was only one more stop left to make- Transfiguration. This time Ron did not interrupt. He waited until class was over and the last of the students had filed out before he went in. He leaned against the doorframe and saw Hermione standing up at her desk, straightening some papers. She looked up when she heard him clear his throat.

She stared at him, papers still in her hands, apparently frozen to the spot. Ron stood up off the doorway. He ran one hand nervously through his hair and took a few steps toward her.

"Hi."

**A/N: I know, I know: bad, bad author for ending it like that! It's a terrible cliffie and I'm sorry, but I had to end it here. Anyway, I hope you liked it, and I hope you all keep reading. When I open my email tomorrow, please give me a happy birthday with lots of reviews telling me what you thought of this chapter (or the whole story if you just started reading it). Thanks. Love ya!**


	4. Chapter 3: Catching Up

**A/N: Hey everybody! Thanks for the reviews. A couple of you were asking why Hermione was acting strange. Well, in my mind when I wrote it, it made perfect sense and she wasn't acting strange. However, not everyone thinks like I do (which is probably a good thing), so I decided to backtrack a little into Hermione's POV to hopefully explain her behavior.**

Catching Up

The bell rang. With a final reminder about their homework assignment, Hermione dismissed her students. As they clustered into their groups of friends, she glanced at the clock. _Ron should be arriving any minute now._ She was nervous about seeing him again. Did he still care about her the same way? Would this be just a fleeting visit before he ran off again? She sighed and began to straighten a pile of last night's homework.

She looked up at the sound of a small cough, still holding the papers. There, leaning on the doorframe, was Ron. She had been expecting him of course, even thinking about him just moments earlier, but now that he was really there, right in front of her, she could not move. He stood up, ran a hand through his hair –she had always loved that little nervous habit of his- and stepped closer. "Hi," he said.

Hermione shook herself slightly, pulling herself out of her reverie. She smiled. "Ron!" she said warmly, walking towards him and wrapping her arms around him. He hugged back, but he noticed that this was no different than the kind of hug she would have given him or Harry at the end of term at school. It was not the tender, loving embrace he had come to know just a few short years ago.

Hermione broke away and said, "Well, I don't have another class until just before dinner, so why don't we go back to my rooms and talk?"

"I'd like that," Ron answered.

They stepped through the portrait hole into a cozy, circular common room with a small open kitchen, a bedroom branching off of either side, and deep, Gryffindor red walls. Hermione headed for the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea; would you like some?" she called, setting a kettle on the stove.

"Sure, that'd be great," said Ron as he walked along the wall, looking at the many moving pictures there. There was a shot of what he assumed was the current Gryffindor Quidditch team, one of him, Harry, and Hermione from third year, and a few more recent pictures of his family. He paused before a photo of a dark-haired man who appeared to be about his age and was smiling at the pretty blonde in his arms.

"Is that…?"

"Neville and Luna, yeah," said Hermione, appearing at his side and handing him a cup of tea. "They got engaged last summer."

"Really? Wow, I guess it never really occurred to me, but now that you mention it, it kind of makes sense," Ron said, following Hermione to the sofa.

They sat down and she asked, "So, how long before you have to go back to work?"

"Actually…" he hesitated, setting his cup on the table before facing her again, "I quit."

Hermione felt a small bit of happiness spring to life inside her, but she could not help exclaiming, "What? Why? What are you going to do for work?"

"Relax, Hermione," said Ron calmly, "Lupin and I are going to the ministry the day I get back to see if there are any positions for me at the Auror headquarters. If not, I'll pick up some of the slack in Dad's office until something opens up." Hermione didn't look entirely satisfied. "Look," he continued, "I thought this job was what I wanted, my so-called 'big break.' It was exciting and important and it paid well. I thought taking it would make me happy, but it didn't. That's when I realized that all I ever really wanted or needed…was you." He paused, a pleading look in his eyes.

Hermione was stunned. She knew she should be worried for him and angry that he hadn't secured another job before making the decision to quit, but all she could think about was what he had said. All she could see was his face. His red hair falling into his eyes –those same beautiful blue eyes that had made her melt at seventeen, and that today, six years later, reflected all love, passion, and longing that she felt in her own heart.

"So tell me something Hermione," he said, "Quitting my job, coming back here, was it worth it?"

"Ron," she breathed, a smile of pure joy and love spreading across her face. Ron seemed to take that as a yes, because he leaned forward, placed a hand behind her neck, and captured her lips in tender, passionate kiss. When they parted, both were silent for a moment until Hermione said quietly, "I suppose I should go start preparing for my next class, but I'll see you at dinner."

Ron nodded and clasped her hand, intending to walk her there. However, as soon as they stepped out of the portrait hole, they were met by a shy-looking girl in Gryffindor robes. "Excuse me, sir. Are you Ron Weasley?"

"Yes," Ron answered.

"The headmistress would like to see you."

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. "You go ahead, I'll find out what she wants," he said. Hermione nodded and continued walking, while Ron, after thanking the girl for the message, turned in the opposite direction toward McGonagall's office

**A/N: Ok, so there's chapter 3. Just one more chapter to go! I'm sorry it was a little short. Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers! Please let me know what you think of this one and I'll try to update as soon as possible. Also, if anyone is wondering about the title, it's the title of the Rascal Flatts song that inspired this fic. I didn't make it a songfic because it's a multi-chapter, rather than a one-shot, so it wouldn't have worked. Anyway, thanks again and please review and keep reading! **


	5. Chapter 4: Maybe you won't have to

**A/N: Wow! The last chapter! I really hope everyone likes this one. Thank you again to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I'm so thankful for everything. So, here it is enjoy!**

Maybe you won't have to…

Ron's footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as he continued to McGonagall's office, wondering what she could want with him. He reached the entrance to her office and gave the password to the gargoyle. It immediately jumped aside, and he ascended the stairway. McGonagall looked up when he entered and set down the quill with which she was writing.

"You wanted to see me professor?" Ron said.

"Yes, Mr. Weasely, please sit down," she answered, indicating the chair on the opposite side of her desk. Ron sat, and she continued, "Have you met our Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher, Professor Santini?"

"No, I haven't." _I wish she would get past the small talk and tell me why I'm here._

"Well, she is great at what she does and has apparently broken the 'curse' on the position, as she has been with us since we reopened two years ago. Unfortunately, we found her late in her career, and she will be retiring at the end of the term."

"Oh. Really? That's too bad…" said Ron, still not sure where this was leading.

"I would like to offer you the job," she said curtly.

"Y-You what?" He had certainly not been expecting this.

"You will remember, Mr. Weasley, that Remus Lupin was viewed by many students as the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher the school has ever had. He was an Auror, and like you, he had not only the training that alone made him qualified, he also had experience fighting the ultimate Dark wizard. You are every bit as worthy and qualified as he was, and I would be honored to have you join our staff. So what do you say?"

She was right. He was perfect for the job. It would be a nice change from what he was used to without the boring monotony of an office job at the Ministry, he could stay with Hermione, and he had really missed Hogwarts in the past few years. "I accept," he said.

"I'm glad to hear that," said McGonagall, with the most genuine smile Ron thought he had ever seen cross the old lady's face. Ron stood to excuse himself from he office when a thought struck him.

"That is of course," he said, "at least if things go the way I'd like, that you don't think it will be confusing for the students to have _two _'Professor Weaselys'."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows and peered at him over the top of her square-rimmed spectacles for a moment before smiling faintly and saying, "I'm sure we can work something out." Ron grinned and left the office. All through dinner he held his tongue, wanting to wait until he and Hermione were alone to tell her the news.

When they got back to her common room, Ron waited on the couch while she went to her bedroom to change. She came out having discarded her teaching robes for a pair of sweats and a much too large Chudley Cannons t-shirt that Ron suspected might have once been his. Her hair had released from its tight bun and now fell across her shoulders in soft, loose curls.

He wrapped an arm around her as she curled up beside him on the sofa. She laid her head on his shoulder and draped her arm across his chest, gazing into the fire, simply enjoying being close to him. "I wish you didn't have to leave tomorrow. It's not the same without you here. And I can't believe that even if you visit a lot, I'll still have to wait _six years_ before Evangeline is old enough to permanently bring a little 'Weasely spirit' back into this place."

Ron glanced down, absently stroking her shoulder as he looked at the smart, bossy witch he had fallen in love with all those years ago and the beautiful woman she had become. He had no doubt that he had made the right choice. "Maybe you won't have to," he said. She sat up and looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Professor Santini is retiring next year, and McGonagall offered me the job."

"And you took it?" she said incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Ron! That's fantastic!" she threw her arms around his neck.

"And there's one more thing," he said. He pulled away, stood up, and knelt before her. "I may be crazy to do this so soon, but we were together for three years before I left. If I had stayed, we would probably already be married by now, and those two years apart did nothing to change how I feel about you, so why wait? I love you Hermione Granger. Will you marry me?"

Hermione's eyes had filled up with tears. "You _are _crazy," she said, and as the tears began to fall she choked, "but apparently so am I. Oh Ron, of course I will." Ron stood, pulling her up with him. He brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb, then leaned forward and kissed her with a passion he had never felt before. He pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers. "By the way," she whispered, "I love you too." Ron laughed and kissed her again.

Hermione went home with Ron for the weekend to announce their engagement to their families together. They were married at the Burrow in the last week of June, surrounded by those they loved.

A few years later, Ron was coming out of the kitchen late one night when he stopped. Hermione was sitting in a chair, reading by the firelight, a lock of hair falling in front of her face. It was as if they were seventeen again – Hermione absorbed in a book, Ron simply admiring her, all the stress of teaching and grading didn't seem to exist. Hermione suddenly closed her book and pulled a two year old red-haired girl into her lap. Ron smiled. Then again, maybe he didn't want to go back to seventeen.

-fin-

**A/N: Ok, so there it is! Thank you all so much, and I hope you enjoyed it. I've got something else in the works, so be on the lookout for it (note: it may be a while before this is up- see my profile for details). Thanks!**


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